Making 2018 Career Changing: Taking Risks for The Play It Safe Type

When it comes to taking risks, there are generally two types of people. There are the people who are willing to take a chance and deal with any consequences after, and then there are the others who prefer to play it safe and weigh the consequences before taking a risk. Often, those who think out the consequences don’t end up taking the risk, and end up missing out on opportunities as a result. Especially when it comes to your career, there is something to be learned from the risk takers. In 2018, look up to the spirit of the risk taker, and you may just change your life and your career for the best.

While following in the steps of risk takers can be daunting, there are things that they can teach those who play it safe. It’s not to say that there isn’t, well, risk when taking a chance, but combining cautiousness with a dash of risk may just result in the best of both worlds. If you weigh all of your options, and make a solid calculated risk, the chance of you being rewarded greatly for taking the risk is going to be your best, and 2018 will be the best year yet.

Have a Backup Plan so Your Risk Isn’t as RiskyIt may make it seem like it isn’t as risky if there is a backup plan, but if it enables you to actually take a chance, then it is worth it. Say for example you want to try a new endeavor. The risk taker will leap into their new passion leaving their safety net of their steady job behind, while the play it safe type knows that a steady job with benefits is the safest option. Both may wish they hadn’t done it, but the risk taker might just be the one to have their dreams come true.

So if you want a chance at that payoff, then you’re going to have to take a chance. But you can make it less risky by having a backup plan in place. This can be a job that you can fall back onto, a hefty savings account, or a way to make sure the bills are paid in the event your new endeavor is a failure. You’ll find that starting a new opportunity like your own business will seem less scary if you know that you have a backup plan, and you’ll be more confident and likely to succeed in your new endeavor.

Plan for the Worst Case ScenarioMuch like having a backup plan, planning for the worst case scenario will eliminate the scary part of taking a risk while preparing yourself for what may happen, making you better equipped to deal with it accordingly. Preparing for such instances takes away some of the worry associated with taking a risk.

If you want to take a risk by leaving a job you hate without having a new job lined up, what is the worse case scenario? What if you don’t find a new job for six months? Can you survive financially? What would you do at that point, would you be willing to take a less than perfect job if need be? Whatever the risk you are taking, know what will happen if you fail, and prepare for it.

Learn From Someone Who Stepped Outside Their Comfort ZoneChances are, you know someone who skipped the traditional route and did something risky that rewarded them greatly. These are typically the people who inspired you to take a chance, because the reward makes it worthwhile. These people can tell you about their trials and tribulations about their risk taking experiences, so you’ll have a better idea about what a risk entails.Take their experiences and see how you would act in such a scenario. Knowing about the risks of taking a risk will let you make a better informed decision when you are faced with an opportunity to take a risk. The risk takers might be the ones to inspire you to actually engage in a risky opportunity. They might teach you that risk does not have to be associated with something that is bad. It could be something that has a great reward.

Know the Facts, but Don’t Let Them Stop YouKnowing the facts ahead of time will help you plan better to take a calculated risk. The facts may scare you, or push you away from taking the risk. But if you truly want to make a change that requires taking a risk, don’t let the facts stop you. Let the facts guide you towards a safer way to take the risk or give you a different route to your final destination.

A calculated risk is the smartest types of risk to take, because it means that you have weighed your options and determined the best way to take the risk. Knowing the facts makes you an educated decision maker, and gives you the best chance at reward on risk. The facts can be scary, as can taking a risk, but ultimately the facts will help you to make an informed decision.When it comes to taking a chance and doing something that may be risky, it can be frightening to move ahead and step outside of your comfort zone. Sure, the chances of failing are higher by taking a risk, but you won’t know what you can accomplish if you don’t give it a shot.

Staying in your comfort zone is safe, it’s easy and, as its name would apply, comfortable. Playing it safe means you won’t fall, but it also means you won’t soar any higher than you already are. So as the play it safe type, you may find that taking a risk that has a safety net will be your best bet. So step outside your comfort zone, have a backup plan, and take a risk that could have a worthwhile payoff.